Space Programs and Technology

The Otter program will develop and demonstrate air breathing propulsion technologies that enable operations in very low earth orbital domains that are currently inaccessible. Propulsion capabilities demonstrated will provide increased mission duration and ability to maneuver without regret. Key efforts include the development of new propulsion systems, improved ground test capabilities, and analysis tools to support system development. Otter will progress through development of analysis and test tools, design of candidate propulsion systems, ground testing, build of a demonstrator satellite, and culminate in a long duration (> 1 year) spaceflight demonstration. The anticipated transition partner is the U.S. Space Force. Beginning in FY 2026, this program will be funded in PE 0603468E, Project ACX-01.

Maintaining U.S. interests in cislunar space requires significant advances in propulsion technology. Current space propulsion includes electric (high efficiency but low thrust) and chemical (high thrust but low efficiency) systems. The Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program will develop and demonstrate a High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) system on orbit and is targeting an FY 2027 launch. The NTR technology demonstrated by DRACO will achieve thrust similar to chemical rockets, but with 2-5 times the efficiency. The enhanced performance afforded by NTR will allow the U.S. to lead operations in the cislunar volume, in particular for missions that require flexible mission planning and agile maneuverability. Beginning in FY 2026, this program will be funded in PE 0603468E, Project ACX-01.

A large number of national security and commercial space systems operate at geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), providing persistence and enabling ground station antennas to point in a fixed direction. Technologies for servicing of GEO spacecraft would involve a mix of highly automated and remotely operated (from Earth) robotic systems. The Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program is establishing the capability to provide robotic services in GEO suitable for a variety of potential servicing tasks, in full collaboration and cooperation with existing satellite owners and national security space operators, and with sufficient propellant for several years of follow-on capability. Key RSGS challenges include robotic tool/end effector requirements, efficient orbital maneuvering of a servicing vehicle, robotic arm systems, automation of certain spacecraft operations, and development of the infrastructure for coordinated control between the servicer and client spacecraft operations teams. The transition agreement is with a commercial partner who will provide the satellite to carry the robotic payload and who will operate the robotic servicer. To support the development of a broadly accepted satellite servicing capability, DARPA is using the Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing (CONFERS) operations approach to bring together experts from the private sector and Government to research, develop and publish nonbinding, consensus-based standards for safe operational approaches to on-orbit servicing. Beginning in FY 2026, this program will be funded in PE 0603468E, Project ACX-01.

Studies conducted under this program will examine and evaluate emerging technologies and concepts with the potential to provide substantial improvement in efficiency, effectiveness, and resilience of operations in space. This includes the degree and scope of potential impact and improvements to military operations, mission utility, and warfighter capability. Studies are also conducted to analyze emerging threats along with possible methods and technologies for countermeasures. The feasibility of achieving potential improvements, in terms of resources, schedule, and technological risk, is also evaluated. The results from these studies are used, in part, to formulate future programs or refocus ongoing work. Topics of consideration include applying artificial intelligence to low earth orbit (LEO) constellation operations to enable collaboration between space, air, maritime, and ground platforms in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) theaters; robust architectures for precision navigation and timing; enabling operations in Cislunar space; novel approaches to space domain awareness; integration of commercial capabilities into military operations; and on-orbit software environments.

The Blackjack program developed space technologies demonstrating a proliferated smallsat constellation capability in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Capabilities demonstrated will provide constant custody of very large numbers of concurrent targets; target identification, tracking, and characterization; tactical communications; architectural resilience via massive proliferation; and rapid on-orbit technology refresh and experimentation. Blackjack leveraged commercial industry plans to build constellations in LEO to provide global commercial broadband internet service. Key efforts included low size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) multi-modality smallsat sensor payloads, algorithms for autonomous payload and architecture command and control, algorithms for satellite on-board processing and data fusion, and advanced manufacturing for military payload mass production. The transition partners are the U.S. Space Force, Air Force and Space Development Agency.